Means for carrying off leakage from gas-mains



LNo Model.) l G. WESTINGHOUSB, Jr.

MEANS FOR'OARRYING; OFP LBAKAGE FROM GAS MAINS. No.l 312,777. PatentedPeb. 24. 1885...

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UNITED STATES EATENT OEEICEo GEORGE VVESTINGHOUSE, Jlt., OF PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR CARRYiNG OFF LAKAGE FROM GAS-MAINS.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,777, dated February2%, 1885.

Application tiled January 26, 1885.

To all whom, it 11m- 7j concern.-

Be it known that 1, GEORGE WEsTrNGHoUsE, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Means for Carrying Off Leakage from Gras- Mains, ofwhich improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawing, which makes part of this specification, thefigure is a longitudinal central section through an underground gas-mainwith my improvementapplied. t

My present invention is of the class exemplilied in Letters Patent ofthe United States, No. 306,556, granted and issued to me under date ofOctober 14, 1884, and in my application,Serial No. 153,481, tiledJanuary 22, 1885; audits object is to insure the conveyance of allleakage of gas within determined lengths of a line of undergroundgas-main to suitablylocated escape-pipes, and to thereby guard againstthe passage of such leakage through the ground to adjacent structures orexcavations.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination,with an underground gas-main, of a leakage-pipe leading from a pointadjacent to the main to an es-v cape-pipe discharging at a point abovethe surface of the ground, andan exhauster connected with theescape-pipe and adapted to induce an upward current therein.

The improvements claimed are hereinafter fully set forth.

In the practice of my invention a line of waste-gas-conducting pipe, 9,of small diameter relatively to the main 1, through which gas isconveyed, but sufficiently large to carry away any ordinary leakageWithout substantial increase of pressure, is laid at such level belowthe ground as to be conveniently accessible. The line 9 is, as in myapplication Serial No. 153,481, above referred to, divided into sectionsof any desired length-as, for instance, one or more blocks in cities, orthe Width of fields or inclosures in country districts-and a seriesofleakage-pipes, 5, leads from the conducting-pipe 9 to points adjacent tojoints or branch connections of the main 1, so as to beadapted to carrygas leaking there- (No model.)

screw cap or plug, 8, is secured on the conducting-pipe 9, adjacent totheupper end of each leakage-pipe, or the same may be fixed in smallpipes connected to the line 9 and extending to or near the surface ofthe ground, and the leakage-pipes may, if desired, be iitted looselywithin open-ended socket-pipes, projecting downwardly from theconductingline. The lower ends of the leakage-pipes are preferablyinserted in bodies of loose packing 2, formed of fragments of stone ormetal, coarse gravel, or any other material which will provide an openspace or a series of in tercommunicating recesses, so as to form anavenue or avenues for directing the escaping gas into the leakage-pipes,and the sections of the main 1 may be surrounded by tight packing 11, ofclay, cement, or other material which will resist the passage of gasalong the outside of the main, and direct the same into the loosepacking 2 and leakage-pipes 5. A detector and escape pipe, 4, isconnected to each section ot' the line of conducting-pipe 9 at anyconvenient point in its length, and extends therefrom to a point abovethe level of the ground,located conveniently for testing, and in suchposition relatively to adjacent buildings, railways,` 8m., that escapeof gas may be permitted Withoutliability to accident from its ignition.The pipes 4. may be passed up through lamp-posts, when the same aresufficientl y near to the line ofthe main, or be placed in any othersuitable position where they will be exempt from being tampered with byunauthorized persons, and may in some instances be provided with smalljets, which can be kept constantly lighted and serve as street-lamps,any excess in their flame indicating a corresponding increase ofleakage. By the application of a light to the delivery ends ot' thepipes 4 the existence and approximate extent of leaks throughout thesection of the main corresponding with a particular section of theconducting-pipe will be indicated, and the same may be located andstopped by removing a plug or plugs, testing the conducting-pipe, andexcavating at the point Where a defective joint or connection is found.

For the purpose of promoting the flow of gas which may leak from themain to and through the escape-pipe 4, and opposing any tendency frominto the conducting-pipe. A removable of the same to gain access tobuildings, cellars,

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.draft or suction therein and in the leakagepipes, which communicatetherewith through the conducting-line 9. In this instance the eX-hauster illustrated is a contracted nozzle or jet, 17, which is directedupwardly within the escape-pipe 4, and connected to apipe, 18, supplyingsteam or compressed air to the nozzle.

An exhaust fan or pump of any suitable construction, or a heated liue orchimney, may be substituted for the contracted nozzle, if deemedpreferable, and gas from the main may be employed for heating thechimney. A lighted jet in the escape-pipe 4 may also serve for inducingupward draft therein.

It will be seen that the action of the upward draft produced by theexhauster tends to create a partial vacuum in the spaces within theloose packing-bodies 2, adjacent to the ends of the leakagepipes, andthereby induces currents drawing the leakage ot' gas toward and intosaid pipes, in lieu of permitting the same, as otherwise might bethecase, to work outwardly through the earth and gain access to adjacentstructures or excavations. Stop-cocks may be located in the severalescape-pipes 4 and in the conducting-line 9, which may be madecontinuous and connected with an exhauster at any point convenient forthe application ofsteam. An upward current may thus be maintainedthroughout the length of the conducting-line by opening its stop-cocks,so

as to place it continuously in communication with the exhauster, andclosing those of the escape-pipes, except that with which the operatedeXhauster is connected, and when it is desired to investigate thelocation of possible leaks, the same may be detected by closing thestop-cocks of the conducting-line, so as to divide it into separatesections, and opening the cocks of the escape-pipes, which may then beseverally tested, as before speciied.

I claim herein as my inventionm l. The combination, with an undergroundgas-main, of a leakage-pipe leading from a point adjacent to the main toan escape-pipe having its discharge-openingat a point-.above the surfaceof the ground, and an eXhauster connected with the escape-pipe andadapted to induce an upward current therein, substantially as set forth.

2. rIllie combination, with an underground gas-1nain,ot'alineofconductingpipes, a series ot' leakage-pipes, each leading from saidconducting-pipe to a body ot' loose packing surrounding the main, anescape-pipe leading from the conducting-pipe to a point ot' dischargeabove the surface of the ground, and Y an exhauster connected with theescape-pipe and adapted to induce an upward current therein,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. VVESTINGHOUSE, JR. W'itn csses:

J. S-NownnN BELL, R. H. W HITTLESEY.

